CleanJoule

What CleanJoule does

CleanJoule is a privately held deep-tech company, incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, that is commercializing a proprietary two-step process combining a bioprocess with a selective chemical process and a proprietary bio catalyst to convert abundant biomass residue — including agricultural and forestry waste — into drop-in alternative fuels. Its two product lines are CycloSAF, a sustainable aviation fuel positioned as a 100% drop-in replacement for Jet A with significantly greater energy density and reduced soot formation, and CycloRP (branded SpaceSAF), a drop-in rocket propellant successfully tested in a rotating detonation rocket engine in June 2025.

The company's go-to-market is enterprise B2B sales targeting commercial airlines and aerospace customers. CleanJoule has secured anchor relationships with three low-cost carriers — Frontier Airlines, Volaris, and Wizz Air — which are also equity investors in the company alongside Indigo Partners, Gen Zero, and Cleanhill Partners following a US$50 million round in May 2023. CycloSAF entered ASTM International's Certification Program in September 2024, a gating milestone for full commercial deployment. The company has also received a $9 million U.S. Department of Defense award under the Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Program (July 2024), with potential follow-on funding of up to $100 million, positioning it for domestic bioproduction serving aerospace and defense applications.

CleanJoule's revenue model centers on one-time sales of its fuel products to enterprise customers at quote-based, undisclosed pricing. As of the available data, the company has not disclosed revenue figures and remains in a pre-commercial or pilot-stage posture pending ASTM qualification, with 11-50 employees and cumulative funding of approximately $50 million in equity plus approximately $10 million in government grants. Its strategic positioning leverages feedstock flexibility, domestic production capability, and the absence of any need to blend with fossil fuels as core value propositions for aviation and aerospace buyers navigating supply chain resilience and decarbonization mandates.

Name

CleanJoule

Legal name

CleanJoule, Inc.

Website

https://cleanjoule.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CleanJoule is a Salt Lake City-based deep-tech company that converts biomass residue into drop-in sustainable aviation fuel (CycloSAF) and rocket propellant (CycloRP/SpaceSAF) using a proprietary two-step bio-and-chemical process, serving commercial airlines and aerospace customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Aviation Fuel

NAICS

All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing (325199), Cyclic Crude, Intermediate, and Gum and Wood Chemical Manufacturing (325194)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production (HEFA, FT, ATJ) (EUAAAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Biofuels & Renewable Fuels Switching (Biomethane/RNG, Bio-oils, Sustainable Biomass) (EUABAJAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable aviation fuel
• Alternative jet fuel
• Biomass conversion technology
• Rocket propellant fuel
• Domestic fuel production

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Sustainable Aviation Fuel Sales: CleanJoule generates revenue through the sale of its superior alternative fuels, including CycloSAF for commercial aviation and CycloRP (SpaceSAF) for rocket propellant. The company produces domestically-generated fuels that serve as drop-in replacements for traditional Jet A fuel.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CleanJoule manufactures and sells superior alternative fuels produced from abundant biomass residue through a proprietary two-step process that combines a highly efficient bioprocess with a highly selective chemical process and a proprietary bio catalyst. Its flagship product, CycloSAF, is a 100% drop-in sustainable aviation fuel offering significantly greater energy density than Jet A, and its CycloRP (SpaceSAF) is a drop-in replacement for rocket propellant.

Product overview

CleanJoule is commercializing novel technology to transform abundant biomass residue into superior, domestically-produced alternative fuels. The company offers two distinct fuel products: CycloSAF (sustainable aviation fuel for commercial aircraft) and CycloRP/SpaceSAF (rocket propellant for space missions). Both products are powered by CleanJoule's proprietary two-step process combining a bioprocess and chemical process with a proprietary bio catalyst, enabling 100% drop-in replacement fuels with significantly greater energy density than conventional options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CycloSAF: CleanJoule's superior sustainable aviation fuel for commercial aviation with significantly greater energy density than Jet A, reduces engine maintenance by substantially reducing soot formation.
• SpaceSAF (CycloRP)

Products and services

• CycloSAF A superior sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for commercial aviation that delivers significantly higher energy density than standard Jet A while reducing engine maintenance by substantially reducing soot formation. It is a 100% drop-in replacement for Jet A with no technical need to blend with fossil fuels, intended for commercial airlines and aviation operators.
• CycloRP (SpaceSAF) A superior drop-in replacement for rocket propellant designed to enable sustainable space missions. Successfully tested in rotating detonation rocket engines in June 2025, it extends CleanJoule's fuel technology into spaceflight applications for aerospace and defense customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significantly greater energy density than Jet A
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and flagship.

• Unreasonable ImpactminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 October 2025CleanJoule was selected for the Unreasonable Impact 2025 Americas programme, joining 19 ventures focused on global challenges including carbon capture, sustainable aviation fuel, and low-emission manufacturing. The programme offers mentorship and community support to help scale high-growth companies.
• Frontier AirlinesflagshipOthersFrontier Airlines is one of CleanJoule's airline partners and customers, listed prominently on the company's homepage as a key partner in the aviation fuel transition.
• VolarisflagshipOthersVolaris is one of CleanJoule's airline partners and customers, listed prominently on the company's homepage as a key partner in the aviation fuel transition.
• Wizz AirflagshipOthersWizz Air is one of CleanJoule's airline partners and customers, listed prominently on the company's homepage as a key partner in the aviation fuel transition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleanjoule

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CleanJoule